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Dom & Roland

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Dom & Roland
Born1974[1] (age 50)
OriginLondon, England
Genres
Occupations
Years active1996–present
Labels
Formerly of
  • Current Affair
  • Dom & Rob
  • Neotech

Dominic Angas, better known by his stage name Dom & Roland, is a British drum and bass DJ and record producer. Active since the mid-1990s, Angas is recognised for his contributions to the techstep subgenre and his work with labels such as Moving Shadow, Metalheadz, and his own imprint, Dom & Roland Productions. His debut album, Industry (1998), is regarded as a significant release in the late 1990s drum and bass scene. In addition to his solo work, Angas has contributed to the development of the darker, experimental edge of drum and bass through numerous collaborations and remixes.

Biography

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Early life

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Dominic Angas grew up in Shepherd's Bush, London.[2] He spent five years in Germany during his childhood before returning to England, where he developed an interest in hip-hop during his teenage years.[1] Angas transitioned to breakbeat music in his twenties and began exploring drum and bass production,[1] following a friendship with Ed Rush.[2]

Early career (1995–1996)

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Angas' entry into the drum and bass scene began with No U-Turn's Nico Sykes, whom he persistently approached for studio time.[2][1] After Sykes agreed, Angas collaborated with Brian Ferrier under the name Current Affairs, releasing their debut single, "East/Solstice" (1995), on Sykes' Saigon imprint.[1] Their next release, "Cutting Edge/Turbulence" (1996), appeared on Moving Shadow and featured heavy drum breaks and basslines characteristic of the emerging techstep style.[1] To further his skills, Angas took classes in studio engineering and production while working as a restaurant manager to support himself.[2]

Dom & Roland (1996–1997)

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Adopting the alias Dom & Roland, a reference to himself and his Roland sampler, Angas released "Dynamics/The Planets" in early 1996.[2][1] That same year, he signed a non-exclusive contract with Moving Shadow and released tracks such as "The Storm/Sonic Shock" and "You're Something Else/Interstellar Jazz" (1996).[2][1] By the end of the year, Angas had released four singles and contributed to compilation tracks and remixes, including Flytronix's work and the Art of Noise's drum and bass remix album.[2]

In 1997, Moving Shadow founder Rob Playford enlisted Angas for the label's 100th release, resulting in the track "Distorted Dreams", a collaboration with Playford.[2][1] Other releases from this period include "Resistance/Hydrolics"(1997) and "The Drones" under the Current Affairs alias.[1] Angas also collaborated with Ed Rush as Neotech on "Valves/Terminal" and with Optical on "Quadrant 6/Concrete Shoes".[1] These tracks expanded his exploration of techstep, though some critics noted a reliance on familiar production techniques within the subgenre.[1]

Debut (1998–2004)

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Dom & Roland released his debut album, Industry, in 1998 on Moving Shadow.[2][1] The album incorporated collaborations with Optical and reflected the darker, technical sound of the late 1990s drum and bass scene.[2] Reviews were mixed, with some highlighting its innovative approach while others critiqued its alignment with established techstep elements.[2][1]

Angas's subsequent albums, Back for the Future (2002) and Chronology (2004), were also released on Moving Shadow.[2] Chronology featured collaborations with artists such as Konflict, Skynet, and Hive and marked the end of his association with the label.[2]

2004–present: Dom & Roland Productions and later work

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After leaving Moving Shadow, Angas founded his own label, Dom & Roland Productions (DRP).[2] His fourth album, Through the Looking Glass (2008), included both new material and previously released tracks from DRP.[2] He followed this with No Strings Attached (2009), which featured collaborations with Noisia, Amon Tobin, and Rob Playford, and The Big Bang (2011).[2]

In the mid-2010s, Angas joined Metalheadz, a label founded by Goldie, and continues releasing music under the Metalheadz imprint.[2]

Discography

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Studio Albums

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List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
UK Dance[3] UK Physical[3] UK Vinyl[3]
Industry
Back for the Future
  • Released: 2002
  • Label: Moving Shadow
Chronology
  • Released: 2004
  • Label: Moving Shadow
Through the Looking Glass
  • Released: 2008
  • Label: Dom & Roland Productions
No Strings Attached
  • Released: 2009
  • Label: Dom & Roland Productions
The Big Bang
  • Released: 2011
  • Label: Dom & Roland Productions
Last Refuge of a Scoundrel 11 53[a] 37[b]
Lost in the Moment
  • Released: 2020
  • Label: Metalheadz
Against a Dark Background
  • Released: 2023
  • Label: Metalheadz
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles

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List of singles, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Albums
UK[3] UK Dance[3] UK Indie[3] UK Physical[3]
"Dynamics" 1996 26 Non-album single
"You're Something Else" 29
"The Storm" 19
"Resistance" 1997 17
"Distorted Dreams" (with Rob Playford)"
"Trauma"

"Transmissions"

1998 6
"Timeframe" 99 2 24 99 Industry
"Parasite" 1999 4 42 Back for the Future
"Killa Bullet" 9 34
"Can't Punish Me" 2000 26 30
"Imagination" 2001 29 35 Non-album single
"Dynamo"

"Adrenaline"

2003 96 31 96
"Dance All Night" 2004 23 39 Chronology
"Unofficial Ja" 2013 44 Non-album single
"Search for Meaning"

"Abbott & Co"

2024 93
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Notes

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  1. ^ Charted as a single
  2. ^ Charted as a single

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Shapiro, Peter (1999). Drum 'n' Bass: The Rough Guide. Rough Guides. pp. 48–50. ISBN 9781858284330. Archived from the original on 5 December 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Cooper, Sean. "AllMusic – Dom & Roland". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Official Charts – Dom & Roland". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
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